By Noriega H.R. No. 748 77R12506 MMS-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center in Houston offers 1-2 significant educational, social, and recreational opportunities to 1-3 a historic section of the Bayou City and thrives on the 1-4 enthusiastic involvement of neighboring residents; and 1-5 WHEREAS, This multipurpose facility occupies part of the land 1-6 grant assigned in 1826 to John R. Harris, founder of the important 1-7 early Texas community of Harrisburg; in the 1910s, the area around 1-8 the nature center was developed as a suburb for Houston families 1-9 who wanted a blend of city and country living; and 1-10 WHEREAS, A local group, the Greater Park Place Community 1-11 Development Corporation, created the Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center 1-12 in 1997 to serve a variety of community needs; one of its primary 1-13 functions is to provide recreational and after-school activities 1-14 for neighborhood children and hands-on environmental education 1-15 programs for area schools; among the most popular of its youth 1-16 programs is the Summer Nature Discovery Camp; and 1-17 WHEREAS, The community gardens at the nature center promote 1-18 sound nutrition as well as environmentally responsible cultivation 1-19 techniques; tended by volunteers, the gardens reflect the culinary 1-20 preferences of the neighborhood's ethnically diverse population, 1-21 which is composed today of Hispanic, Vietnamese, African, and Anglo 1-22 Americans; and 1-23 WHEREAS, In addition to the gardens, the picturesque grounds 1-24 of the nature center include a log cabin, barn, gazebo, pond, 2-1 woodland trails, and wetlands; a delightful environment for bird 2-2 and butterfly watching, the center also offers canoe and boat rides 2-3 on Sims Bayou; moreover, the public is encouraged to use the 2-4 facility for gatherings such as picnics, family reunions, and 2-5 weddings; and 2-6 WHEREAS, Amidst the restorative serenity of this urban oasis, 2-7 the staff, volunteers, and patrons of the Sims Bayou Urban Nature 2-8 Center are engaged in a mission to teach good stewardship of the 2-9 natural world, to fortify community bonds, and to provide safe and 2-10 constructive activities for the area's young people, and it is a 2-11 pleasure at this time to honor such an outstanding enterprise; now, 2-12 therefore, be it 2-13 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-14 Legislature hereby recognize the educational, social, and 2-15 recreational contributions of the Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center 2-16 and extend sincere best wishes to all those associated with it for 2-17 continued success in this worthy undertaking.